Divider and rack construction



\ n- 20, 1959 H. B. GOODMAN DIVIDER AND RACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept.19, 1955 Unite S a a ent 869,7 DIVIDERAND contsTnUcTIoN H yB. G odman,New Londo n- Application September 19, 1955, Serial No. 53,5, 021-,

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The present invention relates to a rack or shelving structureparticularly adapted to hold magazines and books. It is an object of thepresent invention to provide a rack structure having a unique shelvingarrangement in which individual shelves forming the magazine rack may beadjustably divided to accommodate books, magazines, or the like, ofvarious sizes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a magazine rackstructure of unique and simple design utilizing an extruded aluminumsection formed in such a manner as to make the assembly process simplein nature.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a partitioningmember for shelves in a rack in which the partitioning member is securedinto position by spring tensioning action of the member between oppositewalls of the shelf on which it is positioned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide partitioningmembers for shelves which may readily be moved longitudinally along theshelf or removed entirely from it, but which when inserted in positionwill not accidently be loosened or moved from their set position.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more clearlyunderstood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the magazine rack, and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional plan view taken substantially along theline 2-2 of Figure 1 with the supporting legs of the rack not shown.

As illustrated in the drawings, the rack is formed of a rear wall 1which may be of any suitable material such as Masonite. The rear wall 1may be supported by U-shaped tubular leg members 2 having cross bracesor support platforms 3 and 4. Platform 4 extends forward and has forwardplatform section 4a and sides 30. Secured by screws 31 or other suitablemeans to the platform is the channel member 32 having a recess toreceive the base of the rear wall 1. The rack is prevented from slippingsideways by the sides of the legs 2 which bear against the surface 7a.Side wall members 5 and 6, each having a pair of longitudinallyextending recesses 7 and 8, are positioned at either longitudinal edgeof the rear wall 1 with the rear wall 1 positioned in the recesses orchannels 7'. Ifdesired, the side wall members may be provided with asuitable decorative design such as illustrated in cross section inFigure 2. Secured to the back and side walls is at least one shelfgenerally indicated as 9. This shelf is formed preferably of a singlepiece of extruded aluminum and has a cross section providing the bottomleg 10 and forward leg 11. The bottom leg it) is formed with alongitudinally extending channel member 12 having the open length of thechannel aligned with the rear edge of this bottom leg 10. A secondchannel member 13 is also formed on the bottom leg 10 but towards itsforward edge with the open length of the channel 13 facing downwardly.These channels have openings of uniform width which are designated c c r2 o w v n e u e an is q e l r hr adias rews Thus,.the shelf 9 is securedto the rear wallbythe selfthreading screw l4 whi ch projects; throughthe rear wall 1 into the channel member 12 Several such screwsy rnay beprovided to rigidly secure the shelf in,pla ce. As the shelf 9textendsto the sidewalls 5 and 6,,serews 15 may be provided which projectthroughthe side walls,5 and 6 and engage the sidewalls ofthe channel113. Aretaining bar 16 is, provided for each. shelfto prevent magazineswm l ins rward out ft h t h l hi rstair in bar 16 is preferablyextrudedof aluminum .mat erial an d is formed of a single, piece .of material.This retaining r a a h ls fi i l t r mit t d? Poe-{ 33$ the slots 8 inthe side walls 5 and 6 and is secured in position by screws 17projecting through the side Walls 5 and 6 into a slot 18 formed in theextrusion process, the slot 18 being of sufficient Width to engage thesides of the self-cutting screws 17.

In order to provide separate sections on a single shelf to receivedifferent material which may vary in size, an adjustable pocket dividergenerally indicated at His provided. This pocket divider is formed of asingle piece of resilient material preferably spring steel and comprisesa top section 20, rear section 21, bottom section 22 and forward section23, with these sections all being continuous from the top to the forwardsection. The sections are also positioned and shaped to conformgenerally with the contour of the inside cross section of the shelf andrear wall as is illustrated. The forward section 23 and the top section20 are separated from one another with the forward section 23 extendingonly partially up the forward leg 11 of the shelf 9. The top section 20extends beyond the forward leg 11 of the shelf 9 and is provided with anengaging lip or bent section 24 which is shaped to engage the bead 25formed at the top edge of the forward leg 11. This spring steel divideris initially formed with its forward section 23 normally inclinedfurther forward as indicated by the divider illustrated at 19. When thisdivider, however, is positioned on the pocket 9, the forward section 23is necessarily bent rearwardly to permit it to be inserted within thepocket. This bending of the forward section 23 causes a tension to beproduced between the forward section 23 and the bent or lip section 24.This tension cooperating with the retaining action of the rear wall 1secures the divider in position and prevents it from slippinglongitudinally or out of the shelf when accidentally touched or moved.The dividers, however, may be moved by an individual if the top section20 is pulled forward to reduce the tension between the forward and rearwalls and permit the bent section 24 to be disengaged from the lip 25.When this bent section 24 is disengaged from the bead 25, the dividermay then readily be removed and replaced in another position.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a shelf structure having rear, front and bottomwalls and open at its top, a divider made of a single strip of resilientmaterial and having a top section which engages the front surface of thefront wall of the shelf, rear and bottom sections which are acontinuation of the top section and lying against the front and uppersurfaces of the rear and bottom Walls respectively, and a front sectionextending at substantially right angles from the front of the bottomsection causingthe top section to bear against the front surface of thefront wall with said front section in pressing contact with the innersurface of the front wall.

2. In combination with a shelf structure having rear, front and bottomwalls and open at its top, a divider made of a single strip of resilientmaterial and having continuous top, rear, bottom and front sections,said bottom section being substantially the same width as the bottomWall and lying on the bottom wall, said front and rear sectionsextending upwardly from the front and rear ends of the bottom sectionand diverging upwardly and pressing outwardly against said front andrear walls respectively, and a lip formed on the front end of the topsection and engaging the front surface of the front wall and urgedagainst the front surface of the front wall when the front and rearsections of the divider are compressed between the front and rear Wallsof the shelf structure.

3. In combination with a shelf structure having substantially parallelfront and rear Walls and a bottom wall, a divider to separate portionsof the shelf and made of a resilient material comprising a bottomsection resting on and extending from the rear to the-front of thebottom wall, upwardly extending front and rear sections diverging fromthe front and rear ends of the bottom section and compressed between thefront and rear walls of the shelf structure, a top section extendingforwardly from I the top end of the rear section and terminating beyondthe front wall, and means forming a continuation of the top sectionengaging the-front surface of the front wall of the shelf structure whenthe front and rear sections of the divider are compressed between thefront and rear walls of the shelf structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS553,571 Sproule Jan. 28, 1896 1,739,057 Bock Dec. 10, 1929 2,532,600Broersrna Dec. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,016,345 France Aug. 27, 1952

